Ruin: Hierophant Candidates, part Seven

"You understand I have no interest in jellied shots," said Elendor, watching him from across the campfire. "I was... misled... to take up the worship of the sacred dragon Jensen, and I will not be tempted by the pleasures of the flesh again."

Ruin glanced down into the flames for a long moment. "Perhaps you think I wish to sleep with the druids who might become Hierophant, and judge them on that basis." He looked up and met her eyes. "No." He paused, drew breath, released it. Then he drew breath again and said, "I want the druids restored. They -- you -- are a vital part of Duendewood, and we are weaker without you."

Elendor studied him for a long moment, then settled back. "It is good that you know that."

Ruin kept his expression still and resisted the urge to shake his head. Elendor might prove to be the best leader for the druids, but the fact remained that he simply didn't like her. For a bastion of natural wisdom, she was abrasive, opinionated, and very set in her way of thinking. 

"I could do the job, of course," she said. "The others would follow my lead. But I have responsibilities here." She hesitated visibly, then added: "And after going astray in the worship of Jensen, I am not wholly sure I trust myself to take charge of any more than I have now."

Ruin nodded. "What of Zoriel?" 

"Young," said Elendor, "and perhaps a touch too sure of himself. Still, he was first among Saldhael's apprentices, and he did try to hold us together after the Hierophant died. He failed, but he did try. We could assuredly do worse than Zoriel, and with the position formally conferred he would have a much easier time of trying to lead us."

"Would you support him?" 

"If you chose him? Yes. Absolutely. I will support whomever you decide on, though why the Hierophant left that decision to you..."

Ruin shrugged. He was more than a little sympathetic to that reaction. "The old man had some peculiar ideas about balance and responsibility," he told her. "I don't understand it either, but I'm trying to do right by him. What of Alnira, then?"

"I don't know. I certainly question some of her decisions," Elendor said, giving Ruin a pointed look, "but she had done her best to guide and protect the less experienced of us. She is much like Zoriel in some ways; she too is young, and she too was the foremost apprentice of a respected druid. Does she desire the position?"

"No," Ruin admitted. "She feels her responsibilities here, and to the Council of Nine. She would do the job if it fell to her, but but she doesn't feel that she's ready for it."

"Wise girl," said Elendor. "And you have no interest in becoming Hierophant yourself, it seems."

Ruin shook his head immediately. "My connection to the world and its environments is very different from yours. I suppose that to some extent leadership is leadership, but I don't see how I could provide that without a fundamental understanding of the nature and needs of the druids."

"Well then," said Elendor, "you certainly have your work cut out for you. Have you any other questions for me?"

"No, but I'll come and find you if I do." Ruin rose, bowed, and turned away. Behind him, Elendor went back to mixing ingredients for poultices; it seemed she was expecting to have to treat more wounds before long.

Dark Armor: Studies in Obsidian

The white gravel path wound gently beneath a staggered series of cherry trees, though it was too late in the season to see the blossoms. Soft, lush grasses spread beyond them to the right, while to the left lay a long, stone-edge pond; the path traced the edge of the pond, but far enough out to give the trees room to grow. 

"It is lovely," said the High Magister. "Are those koi, in the waters?"

"Goldfish," Pallian said, meeting her eyes and offering a respectful nod. "There's said to be an ancient one, twice as long as the height of man, who surfaces sometimes during the dark of the moon to whisper secrets or grant wishes."

"And does this beast exist?" asked second-princess Arwidden. 

Pallian considered, then said: "When I was a child I was convinced it did, but every child in the citadel knows the story; and the details of who saw it and what it said or granted seemed to vary according to who was telling the tale."

The High Magister laughed. "We have such tales in Edrias as well. Some of them may even be true."

At the end of the cherry trees they left the pond of the goldenfish behind, and now the path began to climb, albeit slightly. On their right was one of the statue-gardens, this one traced by cobblestone paths to mark its departure from the path they walked. "May we?" asked third-princess Ashmiren, motioning towards it. 

"Of course," said Pallian, and turned aside to lead them into it. 

The statues here were all of obsidian, but their pedestals had been inscribed with names and descriptions and the carved letters were filled in with gold to make them visible. The plantings behind each statue had been chosen to complement it with particular colors or themes that matched the nature of the subject. The poet and satirist Devolio was surrounded on three sides by roses, equal parts beauty and barbs; that of the famous mage-general Vokor was given lilies, for all the deaths he had caused. 

At the third statue, Queen Simirana the Deathcaller, Arwidden stopped and turned to study Pallian speculatively. "Even here..." she said. "Forgive the crudeness of my question, but... what is it with your House and obsidian?"

Lady Vathira drew breath, but Pallian held up a hand while he sorted through the memories of some of his earliest lessons. "Understand first, that the stone possesses certain qualities that the early House of Teres considered symbolic: born of the burning blood of the earth, and things like that. Many of the earliest knives and other tools were of obsidian, either sung into shape or painstakingly chipped to be deadly sharp." He paused to draw breath. "What really sealed it, though, as I recall, was that the princess Niza used her control of obsidian blades to slay an enemy whose initiations rendered him immune to fire and steel." He was fairly sure, at least, that the enemy champion had not belonged to the House of Edrias. If he was wrong about that...

"Tamor Verwind," said Arwidden. "There are still songs of that battle, and even a few first-hand accounts."

So the soldier-general is also a historian, Pallian thought, but simply nodded. He wasn't that surprised. "If you're interested in the details of the history, and what symbolism the early House of Teres associated with obsidian, I'm certain Lady Vathira could arrange to have some texts sent to your room. But to answer your unspoken question: yes, it does feel somewhat... ineluctable... at times."

Arwidden studied him for a long moment, then nodded and turned to Lady Vathira. "If you can provide as your prince promises, I would very much like to see those texts."

"Of course, second-princess," said Lady Vathira, without so much as a glance at Pallian. 

"Second-prince," said Ashmiren, looking at Pallian. "Am I correct in assuming that the statues here, however edifying the study of the figures they represent, are not the reason that you most favor this path?"

"You are," Pallian admitted. 

"May I ask where it is you intend to take us, or will that spoil the surprise?"

Pallian laughed. "It wasn't intended to be a surprise, as such. I was just hoping to offer you a pleasant morning's entertainment. I have a particular fondness for this path because it leads over the hill that looks down on the water gardens, and then descends into the grotto."

"The grotto?" asked Ashmiren, looking genuinely surprised. "You brought us out here into sunlight only to takes us down into a grotto?"

Pallian felt himself flush. No, he really hadn't thought this out as well as he should have. "I... perhaps you should see it first, and then I will explain my feelings for the place." Lady Vathira raised her eyebrows, and he added: "It is carved from the limestone below the citadel, and deeply enough to be cool and damp and drip water from the ceiling. If any of that displeases any of you, then I apologize in advance and suggest that we use the path at the end of the statue garden to cross to another path that remains above ground."

Pallian watched the three women exchange looks, and Lady Vathira watched all of them. 

Finally the High Magister said, "Perhaps it would be best if we all remained in the sun for now."

Pallian nodded immediately. "Of course. You are our guests. Take your time with the statues, and when you are satisfied we will cross to the next path."

Good!Party: The Dead Things In The Library

We have reached the library, and the undead have emerged to kill us for Kas Luthien.In doing so, they have set off the traps that we attached to the library doors.

Ruin attacks the Held dread wraith beside him, but the damned thing is intangible and the magics that would let the falchion hit it anyway are inactive. He misses completely. Geddy whips out a Flame Blade and attacks the hulking corpse behind him, hitting easily. The fire sword takes him down. Tavros cuts down another hulking corpse

Martini moves around the balcony. The dread wraith shakes off the Hold effect. He attacks Ruin and hits, draining his constitution. The Devourer tries to trap Marshall’s essence and suck him into its belly, but fails. The angel of decay emits a rotting aura, and Marshall is nauseated and damage. He’s just sure that’s from all this walking around on his actual feet. The morg tongues Marshall, who ignores the bad-nasty effect. Then it attacks him and hits, and tries to grab him… Marshall shoves him back. “Ah do not consent, Sir!”

More morgs mover out of the room. A second one tries to tongue Marshall but misses; the third one tries it on Geddy, and paralyzes him. Marshall is busy being nauseated. Leira pulls her own Flame Blade and attacks the wraith. Ruin follows up and kills it.

Tavros races past them on the way to assist Geddy and Marshall. The trap we set on the far side goes off, catching a devourer and a hulking corpse. The other devourer attacks Marshall again, but he shakes off the effects. The morg that paralyzed Geddy claws him up and then grabs him. Morg #2 tries to tongue Marshall; so does #3. He does not get paralyzed, but he does take a bit of damage from being punched in the face.

Marshall whips out a Flame Blade and attacks the devourer, hitting it three times. Leira switches to the magic missile launcher and fires one off, Ruin races up behind Tavros and swings at a Morg, but misses. Tavros kills it and moves to block the doorway.

The devourer tries to claw Marshall, but misses. He still takes damage from the angel’s rotting aura. The morg who grabbed Geddy is just trying to eat him. Another morg attacks Tavros, but he shakes it off; the angel of decay’s aura hits him, but he shakes off most of it. Marshall flame blades the devourer, and Ruin pulls the morg off of Geddy. Tavros cuts down the morg and the devourer, clearing the doorway, and steps into the library.

Martini continues around the outside balcony, away from the fighting. The angel of decay’s aura is doing bad things to us; the angel of decay steps up and hits Tavros with two claws and a wing. The morg tries to break free of Ruin, but fails; another morg is approaching. Marshall steps up and flame blades the angel of decay. Ruin throws one morg off the side, and then steps between Geddy (still paralyzed) and the incoming morg.

Martini steps in and attacks the morg. Marshall and Tavros are still being affected by the angel of decay. The morg licks Martini, and paralyzes her. “Meat!” He claws her and then grapples her.

Marshall again goes after the angel of decay, doing some damage. Ruin pulls the morg off Martini. Tavros vomits and then lays into the angel of decay, and kills it.

Marshall spots the other devourer, which is still Held by the trap that Martini put on the door. Leira shoots the morg that Ruin’s holding, and Ruin throws it off the tower. He then moves into the library, spotting the devourer and heading for it. Tavros moves with him. Marshall follows, gasping for breath at all the unaccustomed exercise. Ruin scrambles over a bookshelf to flank the thing, and Tavros attacks it. He cuts it apart and then moves to the doorway. The hulking corpse on the far side is still held.

Marshall moves outside and puts his Flame Blade in the hulking corpse.  Ruin moves over next to it and grabs it: “I have an idea.” Tavros comes up on the other side, and they throw the thing off the edge.

We haul Geddy and Martini into the library and wait for them to recover from the paralysis, and take the opportunity to heal everybody up… except for Ruin, who is still weakened from constitution drain. Ruin steps into the map room and grabs the giant, detailed map of Fanaxia from the wall. He looks around, but doesn’t see anything else of interest. Martini checks out a reading room and finds some old, unique religious tomes that are Fanaxian and possibly heretical. We decide to sell those later. She finds an old map and ring of animal friendship in another room; we decide to sell that as well.

We move around the room, opening doors and collecting treasures: 85,000 GP worth of art, a Formorian crossbow that does 4d4 acid damage and has 20 shots per day (ranged touch attack). Geddy climbs up the book ladder, and it’s… extensive. There are also miscellaneous scrolls and books of magic… all of it would be worth quite a bit of money, if we had working bags of holding. We’ll come back for it, we hope.

The next door has movement on the other side. Tavros and Ruin move to guard it.  Martini moves on and finds a bunch more art, and also an Evil Pop-Up Book with a portable hole in the back. There are also four powerful scrolls: Mass Charm Monster, Maze x2, and Greater Shadow Invocation. We decide to sell them.

Another reading room has a desk with a locked drawer. There’s a scroll of Wish in there; we keep that one.

She checks the opposite door, and from the sounds inside she concludes that there are probably four morgs inside.

We set up outside the door with the half-dozen things moving around on the other side of it, attempting to come up quietly enough to surprise them. Geddy opens the door.

Hunched on the desks among the books are a bunch of Blasphemes and two entropic reapers. Tavros takes advantage of surprise and attacks one of the entropic reaper. Martini steps in and beheads a blaspheme. The entropic reaper attacks Tavros, hitting him with a scythe and doing some damage. Marshall moves around to engage the other entropic reaper and smacks it with his scythe. The blaspheme behind Marshall tries to bite him and misses. Another assaults Martini, damaging her.

Ruin moves in and cuts into that Blaspheme, and Leira hits it with an acid bolt. Geddy steps back and fires his crossbow at the entropic reaper next to Marshall. Tavros takes out the entropic reaper next to him and moves to assist Marshall. Martini attacks the blaspheme that bit her. The other entropic reaper attacks Marshall and hits him, doing some damage but not inflicting its entropic damage. A blaspheme attacks Martini and damages her. Another one bites Ruin, dazing him and sucking away his strength. Marshall is similarly stricken.

On the far side of the main  room, we can hear things throwing themselves at the door that Martini blocked.

Leira fires off another bolt, and Geddy starts shooting at the remaining entropic reaper. Tavros moves behind the blasphemes and attacks them across the table, killing one and very nearly killing the one beside it. Martini finishes it. Ruin carves into the remaining blaspheme for a fair amount of damage. The remaining entropic reaper hits Marshall again, and this time does entropic damage: he is now in agony as his form twists and mutates horribly.

Leira shoots the blaspheme with her crossbow, adding a bit more damage. Geddy shoots the blaspheme, hitting it once. Tavros takes a step and finishes the remaining blaspheme, and Martini throws her dagger at the entropic reaper and hits it. Martin turns and walks out the door. The reaper continues tearing up Marshall. Marshall is still dazed. Ruin and Leira attack the entropic reaper, doing more damage. Geddy fires off a couple of crossbow bolts at it, then Tavros steps in and finishes it.

Martini retrieves her dagger. Marshall climbs back to his feet and heals himself with the wand. Ruin and Tavros head for the door on the far side, and Martini reluctantly follows. The door sounds like it’s about to come down, but it holds and Ruin and Tavros get into position. Marshall and Geddy follow, healing Marshall along the way. They make it into position too.

It takes the better part of a minute for the door to give way. It finally gives way, and the morgs charge out. We attack them as they emerge, doing quite a bit of damage.

Geddy fires off more bolts with his crossbow. Tavros cuts one down, steps forward, and finishes another. Martini throws her dagger again. Marshall cuts into more morgs with his scythe, and it tries to tongue him in return, then hits him. It then grabs him. Geddy shoots at Marshall, or rather at the Morg that’s grappling him. Regardless, he puts a couple of crossbow bolts in Marshall. Tavros kills the Morg in the doorway, and Martini puts a magic missile into the Morg holding Marshall. She manages to stab it twice, and Marshall once.

Marshall: “Why is everybody shootin’ me? This seems to unfair.” He tries to reverse the grapple despite his strength loss, and succeeds. The morg immediately reverses it again. RUin hesitates; Leira fires off the crossbow and hits Marshall. Geddy waits, and Tavros pulls the thing off Marshall and promptly throws him off the balcony.

We start searching rooms. The west wing yields a book of Charisma+5, and also a voice that calls for Martini’s attention. It appears to be coming from a rock named Oliver, which is being held by a statue. He claims to be a lucky stone, and it can cast Shocking Grasp, Cause Fear, and Rage. He’s also a leftover Vecna experiment, so his magical effects work. Martini claims him.

The east room has a bunch of miscellaneous books, a bag of 2,200 PP, plus five scrolls: Freedom, Dominate Monsters, Shades, Mass Hold Monster, Energy Drain – all at level 9. Martini proceeds to check for hidden doors, and finds one in the art room. Beyond it she finds a +5 stat book and a Book of Infinite Spells,

We decide to stop and rest, because despite our victory we’re in pretty rough shape. We open the Nine Halls and take advantage of actual beds, then use the wands to bring us back up to full health. (A full night's sleep will take care of the stat damage.)

Goodparty: Corellon's Bard

Picking up from here...

He did. Of course he did.

"No," said Ruin. "You will absolutely, positively, definitely get slaughtered."

"I do not fear," Aldareis said, straightening. "The Swift Hunter will keep me safe."

"Ah like this fellow," Marshall drawled, apparently completely serious. "He's funny. It'll be a shame when he does get killed."

"No, no, I'll just stay behind you and watch, and then I'll write songs about what you do."

Tavros sighed. "I am not used to thinking of Bards as part of a holy order," he said, "and perhaps that will make some difference... but unless you are somehow able to make yourself invisible to things that can see invisible people, everything in the tower is just going to assume that you're one of us and try to kill you."

Aldareis the bard sighed. "Perhaps so. But I was given this duty by the god himself. I cannot shirk it."

"Hooo boy," said Marshall. "This is going to be funny to watch."

Martini looked the young elf over. "We should let him come. He can serve as a distraction. And he is pretty."

The bard glanced at her and swallowed. 

Tavros sighed, looking pained. Leira was no help; she was still making her goodbyes to Sasha in the shadow of the gates. Geddy seemed indifferent, and Eva was waiting silently, though her eyebrows were raised. And Ruin was, again, just staring at the boy: his full attention, but no hint of engagement.  

"I see," he said finally. "But bear in mind that you can trust Corellon to protect you every bit as much as I can trust Amun or Marshall here can trust Artemis. That is to say that they grant us strength and power and magic, but they do not prevent the consequences of our actions. And we are confronting the Order of Secrets in the lair of Vecna herself, an action with a very definite risk of horrifying death."

"But you're all still alive," said Aldareis, and then blushed with embarrassment.

"True," said Tavros, "but resurrection is neither cheap nor easy. I do not wish to make a merchant's matter of the most sacred of magics, but having you along would force us to waste resources on resurrecting you--" 

"--or not--" Martini interjected. 

"--when we might badly need those resources for ourselves."

Aldareis swallowed, but stood his ground. "I must still come with you."

Tavros stopped, completely at a loss for words in the face of such mindless insistence. Young idiot, he thought, but not without a touch of fondness. Had he been any different?

It was Ruin who stepped forward, planted himself in front of Aldareis, held his gaze for a long moment and said: "Here's how it happens. You come with us on the boat, we reach the tower, you're slaughtered in the first battle or trap or whatever the Order of Secrets have prepared for us. The rest of us leave you there, and if we survive we come back and resurrect you later. You miss the whole thing, and you have to take our word for what happened, just as if you'd stayed here in the first place." He paused, measuring the young bard. "Or, you go to the wizards and see if one of them will lend you a crystal ball. You watch through the crystal, from a good, safe distance -- in a room where you have a writing desk, an inkpot, a quill, and some sand to dry the ink." He moved just slightly closer. "Which -- and I ask this as the, not the Avatar, but apparently as the champion of Corellon Larethian -- Which sounds better to you?"

"Ahhhhh..." said Aldareis. "I suppose when you put it that way..."

"Good."

Dark Army: Luthien Thwarted

“WHERE’D THEY GO!?!?”

“Luthien,” Almonda said, “slow down, what are you talking about?”

“They were there in the pool, looking at the dead body of that bitch’s brother, but now they’re gone. They’re nowhere!”

“What do you mean, Luthien? They can’t be nowhere. They’re still in the tower. And you assured me they had no magic!”

“I don’t know, I was watching all of them. That damned wanna-be king got pummeled by our golem into a pathetic puddle and I was sure they were done for, but somehow the bitch Dwint’lithar slew the thing. Somehow her magic dagger is still working. Then they opened my present, and next thing I know, they’re gone!” Luthien was frantic, casting every divination spell he knew into the obsidian pool.

Almonda gave him a hard stare, “What… present, Luthien?”

“I… the bitch’s brother, Behemoth gave him to me. It’s just a husk, they can’t bring him back or anything…”

“Gods, Luthien,” Almonda shook her head, “I knew you were a sick fuck, but…”

“Look, these bastards have been thwarting my plans for years, they deserve everything that comes to them!”

“So you decided to taunt them with the girl’s dead brother? Quit being an idiot, Luthien, and just end them. You have magic, and they don’t. Be a man, go down there, and fucking END THEM!”

“I can’t,” Luthien squealed, “they’re gone! I don’t know where they are! Oh shit, oh shit, we’re screwed! Game over, man! Game over!”

“Luthien!” Almonda exerted a force of will through the link in the magical, obsidian pool, “Get yourself together. They still don’t have magic. Wherever they are, they’re weak. Get your forces together, and be ready. When they face us, they will fall. Have faith in our dark mistress.”

“Okay, okay…” Luthien nodded his head, “Yes, okay. Get it together… They can’t teleport, so they still have to go through the library… the Angel of Decay will end them. No way they make it to your floor, and if they do…”

“I’ll be ready,” Almonda finished definitively.

“Right,” Luthien replied, with more conviction than he felt. She faded away in the pool, presumably to make her own preparations. Kas Luthien tried his best to remain calm but he just couldn’t contain it. He screamed and smashed the pile of platinum pieces, scattering them all over the room. A few flies buzzed out of the disturbed pile of coins.

“Fuck you, Malafar! You hear me!? Fuck you!”

The flies faded from view, as flies are wont to do. He had no idea where they were, or what they saw…

Ruin: Corellon's Revenge

"Corellon's fleet grace! You're him -- Ruin! I was hoping to find you here." Young, Ruin thought, though by Elvish standards he was not a great deal older than the bard in front of him. "I'm Aldareis." He stepped forward, extending his arms for an embrace, and Ruin automatically took a step back. He had, at least, managed to hand his son off to Anica before the bard accosted him.

The elf hesitated, and his smile faltered for a moment before he brightened again. "Right. So... you might not believe this, but I've been sent here to sing of your exploits and extol the virtues of Corellon Larethian. It's a high honor for both of us."

Ruin just stared at him. He hadn't known what to expect when Grandfather had told him that there were other ways to make the god's influence known, but he wasn't at all ready to deal with... this. 

The silence drew out. Ruin just stood there and stared, waiting for the bard to grow uncomfortable and go away.

Werendril sighed and stood up, stepping around the dining table. "You're not going to get anything more out of him," the paladin said, stopping beside the bard. "Not until he's ready to talk."

"Oh! Hello!" said Aldareis, turning to the second True Elf. "Oh, you're--"

Werendril nodded. "Werendril Al'veLithulrei, of the Order of the Golden Bow."

"Aldareis nav'Edelvorn, of the Order of the Golden Chord."

Werendril nodded. "I recognized the sigil." It was a bit of Elvish musical notation, embroidered in threads of gold on a white background; to anyone unfamiliar, it probably just looked like a collection of lines and dots. "And you've been sent--" 

"By the god himself!"

"--to tell everyone of His glories, by way of Ruin's efforts."

Werendril was trying his best to keep his tone soothing, but even so some of the sarcasm slipped through. Aldareis didn't seem to notice, though. "Yes, exactly! Oh, it's so good to know that we have other worshipers here."

Werendril sighed. "Walk with me, Aldareis. We need to have a talk..." 

"--but--" He looked at Ruin again. 

Ruin just stared at him, stone-faced. 

"...About basic courtesy, and why you shouldn't preach the glories of our god in another god's temple, even if it's only in the dining hall."

"But... Corellon..." 

"Basic. Fucking. Courtesy." 

Werendril's face had hardened, and Aldareis swallowed. "Oh. Oh. I guess I really screwed that up, didn't I?"

Aesa leaned over to Ruin and whispered, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Ruin glanced at her, and pointedly did not say anything. 

Werendril sighed. "It certainly could have been worse. But... well... walk with me, Cousin."

"I... um... Yes, as you wish."

Werendril started for the door, and Aldareis followed. 

"Okay, so what in the world was that?" asked Anica. 

Ruin sighed and sat back. He considered for a brief moment, then said: "Amun has a single, unified religious order. The priests and paladins live together, work together, share duties and resources. Corellon's worship is... less organized. The primary priesthood is the Order of the Budding Leaf Green With the Coming of Spring, but there are others -- at least three that I know of. His paladins belong to the Order of the Bow Made Golden by the Touch of Dawn... most of them, anyway. And, well, he also has an order of bards, the Order of the Golden Chord That Carries Wisdom." He paused to draw breath, then added: "I'd honestly forgotten they existed until this moment."

"But this is because you prayed to him, isn't it?" asked Aesa. 

"You did what?" asked Anica. 

"I didn't pray to him," Ruin said. "I went up to the Chapel of All, and touched the altar, and told him that there was a lot going on and it involved his people and he really should be paying attention. That was it."

"Ruin..." Anica shook her head. "That's praying."

Ruin scowled, because he was pretty sure she was right but he didn't want to talk about it at all. "Anyway, he asked me what I thought he should do, and I told him to make up his own damned mind, and then he offered to make me his Avatar and I told him I didn't want that. And then he said there were other ways to 'make his influence known' and, well, here we are."

Aesa was frowning thoughtfully. "Do you think he's going to want to come along with you and chronicle your..." She hesitated, then settled on: "...achievements?"

Ruin scowled darkly. "He'd better not."

Dark Armor: The Garden

"Fashionably late, I hope," Pallian said, as the silent servant motioned him forward and then departed again. Lady Vathira was standing in the antechamber with the royalty of Edrias, so he approached and bowed. 

The High Magister exchanged a measured glance with third-princess Ashmiren, but second-princess Arwidden simply gave him a nod. "You didn't delay us," she said, "and your Lady Vathira informs us that you have something special planned."

Pallian glanced at Ashmiren and then the High Magister Tamirya; both were studying him, of course, the High Magister taking his measure and the third-princess with a very slight quirk to her lip that might be the beginning of a smile. He glanced at Lady Vathira but received only the faintest hint of a nod in return; he was to take the lead on this. 

"I hope you will find it pleasing," he said, keeping his voice relaxed. "It occurred to me that not everyone has the deep-seated appreciation of semi-translucent volcanic glass that informs the architectural aesthetic of House Teres, and as our guests you might appreciate a visit to the more solar portions of the keep."

Second-princess Arwidden said, "What?"

Pallian paused long enough to revise his speech patterns and said, "I'd like to conduct you to the garden, and give you a chance to remember that the sun still exists."

The High Magister's expression didn't change, but Ashmiren laughed and Arwidden quirked a grin at him. "My sister said you had some wit," she observed. "It sounds pleasant to me. Mother? Sister?"

High Magister Tamirya nodded, and Ashmiren tilted her head and made a small gesture to Arwidden: You see? or something like it, Pallian thought.

"Do please lead the way," said the High Magister, and Pallian gestured for Lady Vathira to open the doors. 

The gardens were situated on the south side of the citadel, and surrounded by obsidian walls complete with ramparts and crenelations. If they were counted as part of the Citadel, then they effectively doubled its size. The arched double doors, heavy wood bound in black iron, swung open at Lady Vathira's gesture, and then the second pair beyond them; sunlight spilled into the hall, and Pallian blinked at its brightness. 

The doors opened onto a half-circle of fine, white gravel, and Pallian led the way outside, squinting and trying not to stumble. I might need that Edrias initiation that protects people from sunlight, he thought, but he didn't say it aloud because he didn't want to have to explain the joke. Seven different pathways, each filled in the same white gravel, spread out from the half-circle and continued deeper into the garden, their courses obscured by rosebushes and stands of lilies, carefully-pruned cherry trees and a host of other plantings that Pallian honestly couldn't identify.

"Ah," said the High Magister, an almost involuntary reaction that she immediately silenced. Ashmiren looked around, then took a deep breath and released it slowly, looking almost relieved. "Well," said Arwidden, "this is an improvement."

"We hope you find it pleasant," Lady Vathira said, glancing at Pallian in a way that made him think that the words were a reflexive attempt to smooth things over. 

He smiled and looked to Arwidden. "I hoped you would say that. I don't intend to brag, but it is a lovely garden and a strong contrast to the interior of the citadel." He paused, then added: "I am particularly fond of the second path on the left, but you are our guests and the choice is of course yours."

"Your suggestions have been good so far," the second-princess answered. "Would you lead us along the way?" She glanced back at her mother and sister as she spoke, but neither objected. 

Pallian offered another slight bow and said, "It would be my pleasure."